Three barn owls found in Visakhapatnam, residents surprised

HYDERABAD: Three birds were found in a construction site in Vizag that attracted attention of the locals, who took videos and photos, thinking that the birds were aliens. However, the verdict from experts put them down as Nehru zoological park officials said the birds are from the barn owl species.
Curator Shivani Dongre said, “They are a beautiful which are distributed downwards from central India. Their heart shaped faces and downward beaks are characteristics of the species.”

The birds were found standing on their legs instead of the normal perched position which alerted onlookers. “When birds get attention, they tend to be observant in behaviour which is probably why the birds look alarmed. As it was a construction site, the birds were on a flat surface. If they had a surface to grip on, we could have seen them perch,” said Shivani Dongre.

The birds seemed different due to the lack of feathers as well. Veterinary doctors say that the birds could have been chicks and therefore their feathers were yet to grow out. Dr Narasimha Reddy, a veterinarian, says, “They can be young chicks waiting for their mother to bring back food which is why they were standing on their legs. At the same time, because they were on a construction site, it could be that they got some skin infection that causes the feathers to fall off.” Medical experts also noted that the birds looked malnourished and they needed medical attention. They also instructed citizens not to touch the birds or move them. The birds are not generally seen in the day unless they are changing their roosting sites.